Worcester, MA --- The Worcester State University field hockey team has been tabbed with the highest grade point average in Division III as announced by National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Executive Director Jennifer Goodrich.
The Lancers were one of 120 total institutions to be honored with the Gladiator/SGI NFHCA National Academic Team Award. To be honored with the team award, a team must have a fall semester grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
The other schools listed as having the best grade point averages included Goucher College (3.55), Division III National Champion Bowdoin College (3.52), Haverford College (3.50), Swarthmore College (3.48), Eastern Univesrity (3.47), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (3.46) and Vassar College (3.46).
WSU recorded an outstanding team GPA of 3.57 on the standard 4.0 scale. Out of the 19 field hockey players who competed last season, 18 notched over a 3.0 and 12 registered a 3.5 GPA or better.
In the last seven years, Worcester State University is the only public institution to have a top-ranked grade point average and they are one of three to be ranked in the top five. Richard Stockton was a runner-up for the team award last year and St. Mary's College of Maryland was honored in 2004, 05 and 06.
Overall, WSU was one of 18 public schools honored by the NFHCA out of the 120 total institutions.
Locally, Clark (3.48) and WPI (3.44) were both honored for being inside the top 10 while Nichols also honored with the Gladiator/SGI Division III National Academic Team Award.